NO MERGER OF THE TRIBAL CHIEFS AND THEIR TERRITORIES:*
*MERGER OF MANIPUR WITH THE INDIAN UNION 21st Sept. 1949:*
The merger agreement of *Manipur* with the *Indian* *Union* was signed between the *Maharaja of Manipur Shri (L) Bodha Chandra Singh and Shri V.P. Menon,* _Advisor_ to the *Government of India, Ministry of States*, on behalf of the Dominion of *India* on *21st September, 1949* at *Shillong*, in which the *Maharaja of Manipur* *surrendered his territory,* *titles* , *authority* , *rights* and *privileges* , except his *personal properties* and *religious rites,* and received a *sum of Rs. 3 lakhs per year.* *Thus, the sovereignty and independence of* *Manipur* as a *Country* came to an *end* on the date the *Maharaja* appended his signature on the historic merger agreement.
The Total area of *Manipur* merger agreement covered was the territory of *700 sq.* *miles* or *26,500 paris/hectares.*
*NO MERGER OF THE TRIBAL CHIEFS AND THEIR TERRITORIES:*
_*The power and authorities of the tribe chiefs are supreme*_ in the land of the tribes in *Manipur*. *They are the lords of the soil* within the territory. They occupied, ruled and governed. They collected taxes and levies from their subjects independently.
*SO, THE MERGER AGREEMENT SIGNED BY THE MANIPURI MAHARAJA DID NOT COVER THE TERRITORY OCCUPIED BY THE TRIBAL CHIEFS AND THEIR SUBJECTS, BECAUSE THE MAHARAJA OF MANIPUR WAS NOT A TRIBAL REPRESENTATIVE WHO HAD AUTHORITY TO ACT ON THEIR BEHALF AND THE TRIBALS WERE NOT HIS SUBJECTS.*
At the same time the accession instrument signed on *21'st September, 1949* did not cover the hill areas which has been a separate entity.
The merger of *Manipur* to *India* in *1949* testified that all the ruling *Chiefs* and notable native states of *British India* except the ruling *Chiefs* of the tribals in *outer Manipur* are merged with *India*.
*Sd/-*
*E.Vungkholian*
*President*
*Sd/-*
*WishingtonShinglai*
*GeneralSecretary*
(Extracted from *"TERRITORIAL RIGHTS OF OUTER MANIPUR TRIBALS"* a documents compiled by *"All Tribal Students' Union Manipur"*)
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